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“To put it short, you want us to fight so you can compare how much I developed ever since the day we’re separated?”

“Yes”

“You can just tell me you know?” he sighed and smile “If that’s the case, then I’m ready”
As their skirt-mounted booster ignited, they lunge at each other with their 1.8m Katana unleashed. They began to clash with each other.

For obvious reason, the audience who already left returned to watch the extra show. They want to know how younger sibling of the two most famous figures in I.S. world will perform.
And boy they are pleased.

Houki shown a great finesse in her sword play, brutal and yet efficient.

“Oh crap” Ichika dodge a slash, hair away from hitting his barrier. He managed to parry her next attack successfully.

“What’s wrong, Ichika? This is just the beginning!” Houki screamed “Show me you don’t waste your time out there”

Good God, I already said that I can’t match her with pure swordmanship right?! Ichika thought, either his message does not hit, or it’s unappreciated.

He was cornered to the end of arena, collective “Ooooh” was heard on the other side of insulation barrier.

“What happened!? You’ve become so weak!”

“Guah, it’s you who have grown so strong”

“Pathetic!” Houki deliver a final attack by way of upper strike… only for her to hit his skirt armor he detached and use as makeshift tower shield “What-“

With the newfound speed by way of weight saving, Ichika already behind Houki, and her barrier shatter before she can realize. She lost 30 energy points in the process as Ichika delivered a cross attack in a split second.

“It’s seems that I can’t go half heartedly” Ichika lost his smile, his left hand clenched into a fist, pointed at her direction. “Don’t use Kendo rules here, Houki… we’ll use everything in my disposal this time”

“What the...”

Losing what little restrain she had, she leaped at his direction with overhead strike. Only for him to dodge it again and punch her on the gut in response.

By means of well honed reflex, she managed to avoid direct impact, but she can see a small split on her barrier, courtesy of Ichika’s counter.

“Now you’re relying on dirty trick?!”

“… Like I said” Ichika emphasized once again, without slightest bit of spite “Please do not restrict yourself to kendo rules, because I’ll do the same”

Houki had once talked with Chifuyu weeks before she went to Academy.

“I.S. combat is different from what you have in mind. The rules are simple and loosely defined. There’s no such thing as chivalry and equality, only a set of honor code. You fight with everything you have, with all the feelings entrenched in your heart. I.S. to I.S. combat, while defined as a branch of sport, is more akin to gladiator match and controlled warfare. Never forget that”

Houki already saw it in the very match happened before this, Ichika couldn’t be any different.

Ichika never been limited to sword even as child, other kids always fear him for his fist than anything else.

If that’s the case.

Houki changed her stance, to what could be defined as slight bow, similar to Iaijutsu. She is going to apply lethal combat technique for the first time.

With a correctly placed dash, she tried to strike from the side. Ichika deflected it and deliver a kick. It missed.

Charles Dunois watched the match intently, all the while recording necessary data and footage.

“Magnificent” he muttered, this is not as flashy as the match before, probably by the lack of stuff exploding. But it’s a quality research material on its own.

There’s no such thing as useless information after all, only the priorities is different.
Charles wonder, how would Ichika perform if he was using a designated I.S., Uchigane is definitely not his best choice.

All things considered, Houki Shinonono is an inferior pilot. He should be able to defeat her easily if he was using correct machine.

Even if Houki is a superior fencer, Ichika had been trained very well.

Such training is harder that what could be applied to average military personnel in fact, it’s the support system in I.S. unit that made such program possible to be executed by someone as young as 13 years old.

All those knowledge and skill he gained is not for nothing either.

“ORYA!”

“…”

The tip of Houki’s sword war redirected outward by metallic wrist of Ichika’s armor and he began to retaliate with a combination of right hook and left jab, throwing Houki off guard.
Ichika continue to overwhelm Houki with well-executed maneuver, but there’s a problem.

It was his machine.

His left knuckle apparently lose half of its rigidity, and very soon the right one will stop functioning to keep his actual hand from breaking. Seeing how many times Ichika use it to punch and chop through Houki’s barrier, it’s understandable.

If only ByakuShiki is complete… no, not what I meant.

This machine was, by default, not designed with mobility and dexterity in mind. Even with the optimization setup done by him, there’s a limit to how it can be pushed in unarmed combat.
As such, he and she are now on even terms, besides, Ichika never aimed to win the fight brilliantly like Rito did.

It’s a test of power, precisely what Houki intended.

Even if he’s using a machine he’s not comfortable with, he will prove that all his effort is not in vain.

Heel of Ichika’s Uchigane met Houki’s barrier again, semi transparent wall was smashed to smithereens and her machine quickly activate Absolute Defense in response. Said heel got damaged as it was never designed a weapon in the first place, but not much thanks to the thickness. However, his objective is accomplished.

Ichika: 505, Houki: 425

He had proven his edge.

This is not what I wanted

Houki know, she can’t ask for anything. The world never been kind to her, all fate did is rob everything precious to her.

And now, even Ichika took different path from her.

Why it always comes to this?

Houki screamed, which actually made Ichika caught of guard in confusion. In such kind of berserk state, Houki’s skill for some reason improved, even though she looks like someone losing control.

They continue to fight fearlessly, as the sun began to disappear in the horizon. A Fight between two defensive machines is not exactly the shortest match in the world, even though the match is so fierce.

Of course, in this case Z = Plot and character relationship. It's not until Lala's arrival I go for low intensity school life and relative non-violent harem antics.

Each character has their own personal plot related to other character (Houki-Ichika and Houki-Rin for example, or Tatenashi-Kanzashi and Tatenashi-Saki), though as harem hero, Ichika and Rito has quite a lot compared to others. That way I can incite character development without worrying about spotlight.

Yes, it's mostly slice of life, which is precisely what I aimed. In spite of messed up childhood, relationship torn apart, frequent bloody war, alien related crime, and every single WTFBBQ thing happened in universe, there's always peace and happiness if you don't give up struggling.It's the idealistic message conveyed through grimdark back-story covered with romance comedy.

You hafta learn some restraint. Sometimes I felt like "It shouldn't be like this! Too sweet! Boring!" when writing, then I remember what's my first intention when writing it.

But....the plot! The plot that was ignored when Charlotte became a haremette! Ichika's smack dab deep into the Dunoa family business and deals with both "children". It's like saying no when a person gives you a console and 50 games for free with no catch at all. You don't do that.

I know, but once again you have to make up your mind. If you want it pure romance, then make it as pure as you can. If you want intricate plot, do not hesitate.

In fact, Charles' business campaign against Dunois is one of the plot in my mind ("A vengeful bastard child couldn't be that dangerous, right? RIGHT?!"). We are talking about slightly perverted pretty boy with sister complex here.

....Why? No seriously, you don't "just hate" something. It's like Natsuru saying "I just like her".

Side note - Their single-minded pursuit of Ichika borders on the bizzare. One of the girls even said "I curse my ancestors for giving me a name that made me number 12!". Wow.....little overreaction to not being giving a boost up to an IS.

If I really have to put this, their overall character doesn't interest me. Every time I write them, I just feel it's not really right and finally, restrict to cameo or something. Which I do, and finally settled with it.

I understand what you mean, but every writer has their limitation. Besides, I don't think Yuzuru wanted to make it too realistic.

The narrative and stuff obviously catering to shonen fight and pure harem fantasy, but he doesn't take his 'serious' and 'mundane' background into account and the result was fridge-inducing stuff like student repeatedly trying to murder each other for stupid reason, to reverse Cinderella event involving genuine sword and firearms.